title: Body image in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a multisystemic disease of young women may be disfiguring and affect physical and emotional health. Body image literature in SLE is scant and controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We compared body image-related quality of life in subjects with (n = 87) and without (n = 78) SLE and determined its correlates using the body image quality of life inventory (BIQLI).
  
  
  METHODS
  The tool was self-administered to consenting individuals. Demographic information along with disease activity and damage assessments for SLE patients were obtained. T test, chi square test, correlational, and regression analyses were used to make comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age (±SD) were 42.4 ± 13.1 and 38.7 ± 13.2 years for SLE and non-SLE subjects, respectively. Mean (±SD) BIQLI scores were significantly worse in SLE than non-SLE subjects: 19.9 ± 33.2 and 41.6 ± 24.8 (p = 0.001). In SLE, BIQLI scores correlated inversely with overall damage, irreversible cutaneous damage, alopecia, and self-reported depression, and directly with age and health status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Body image in SLE is poor, and effective interventions may be directed at cutaneous disease activity, damage, and depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Meenakshi_Jolly@rush.edu
authors.forename: Meenakshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jolly
authors.forename: A Simon
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Pickard
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mikolaitis
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cornejo
authors.forename: Winston
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sequeira
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Cash
authors.forename: Joel A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Block
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001828:Body Image; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index